1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of digital electronic computers, and, more particularly, is in the field of monolithic integrated circuit central processors as used in microprocessors or microcomputers.
2. Description of the Related Art
An exemplary monolithic integrated central processor includes an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") connected to a data memory by data lines. The central processor further includes a control unit connected via control lines to both the ALU and the data memory. The control unit controls the exchange of data between the data memory and ALU and controls the data processing performed by the ALU. For pure control tasks, such central processors, also called "microprocessors," usually contain a fixed program which is adapted to a process control task, for example. If the program is alterable, e.g., for use in a computer, the central processor is often called a "microcomputer."
Such processors are typically based either on the Von Neumann architecture, which uses common signal paths or buses for the transfer of data or instructions, or on the so called Harvard architecture, in which the data channels and the control channels are separated. The latter architecture is preferably used where high processing speed is important because data and instructions are transferred over separate buses in parallel rather that serially.
A central processor based on the Harvard architecture is described, for example, in "32-Bit-Mikrocomputer fur Signalverarbeitung und Proze.alpha.steuerung," Elektronik, No. 22, Nov. 5, 1982, pp. 139-141. The described processor is a 32-bit high-performance microcomputer which is suitable for fast signal processing.